The Effectiveness of Metacognitive Therapy on Working Memory in Children with Specific Learning Disorder

Tabatabaee, Mosa; Bahrami, Abdollah; Aliabadi, Atefeh

doi:10.22034/ceciranj.2025.468533.1888

The Effectiveness of Metacognitive Therapy on Working Memory in Children with Specific Learning Disorder

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Mosa tabatabaee ¹

Abdollah Bahrami ²

Atefeh Aliabadi ³

¹ Assistant Professor, Department of cognitive sciences, faculty of psychology and educational sciences, Semnan university, Semnan, Iran.

² Master of Educational Psychology, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran.

³ Master of Educational Psychology, Payam Noor University, Semnan, Iran.

10.22034/ceciranj.2025.468533.1888

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of metacognitive therapy on working memory in children with specific learning disorder. This research employed a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test–post-test control group. The statistical population consisted of 30 students (17 boys and 13 girls) diagnosed with specific learning disorder in Semnan, Iran, who were selected through purposive sampling. Participants were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (15 students in each group) and completed the Wechsler Working Memory Questionnaire (1997) in both pre-test and post-test phases. The experimental group received a therapeutic intervention consisting of ten 60-minute sessions, held once a week. After the intervention, the data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) via SPSS-26 software. Statistical analysis revealed that metacognitive therapy had a significant effect on sequential memory, spatial memory, and backward memory (P < 0.05). Based on these findings, it can be concluded that metacognitive therapy may positively influence working memory in children with specific learning disorder. Therefore, it is recommended that metacognitive therapy be considered as a complementary approach alongside other treatments to enhance the effectiveness and speed of the therapeutic process for students with learning difficulties.

Keywords

Metacognitive Therapy

Specific Learning Disorder

Working Memory

Subjects

Cognitive disabilities

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